WOMEN'S ROWING

Roster  |  Coaches  |  Schedule / Results  |  News

Sara Sheffer

BUFFALO, NY - "Alumni Arena is like a family," says Sara Sheffer (Ft. Edward, NY/Colonie), captain of the University at Buffalo's crew team, who surrounds herself with UB's athletics. "Around here, you know everyone, and everyone knows you. Anytime you need anything, there are always people to help you out with academics and there are always friends from different teams around. I like the feeling of being part of that family." Sheffer's passion can be seen through her dedication to the crew team, her work with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and her volunteer work with the wrestling team.

The way Sheffer was recruited for the crew team was out of the ordinary. She was attending orientation when head coach Meg Barnes spotted her tall father. Assuming his daughter had a similar build, Barnes asked if Sheffer would be interested in joining the team as a walk-on. Despite not being part of a crew team before, Sheffer rose to the top to become captain and a member of one of UB's varsity boats.

The 37 members of the crew team are divided up into two varsity boats and two novice boats. From there, they are split into A and B teams, according to skill level. They are looking to begin a lightweight program next year, for girls 135 pounds and under. "We row on a canal off of Sweet Home Road, which is very protected," said Sheffer. "It rarely gets wind or waves. When we go to an open lake that gets head winds or tail winds, we have to adjust and control our oars more."

"We do a lot of things as a team off the water," said Sheffer. Teamwork is a major aspect of crew, and building that bond is one ingredient to success. While rowing, everyone in the boat has to work together to keep up speed.

The crew team is preparing to participate in the New York State Championships on May 3 and 4 at Whitney Point, NY. "We're so excited right now," said Sheffer. "We stepped up our workout by doing a lot more running than weight lifting, to work on cardio. We usually row about 25K a day. Last year, our A boat took third place and we are looking to win this year."

For the first time, the team was invited to attend the Eastern College Athletic Conference Championships. The event will be held on Sunday, May 11 on Lake Mercer in New Jersey. The squad earned the invite due to its success at last season's New York State Championships, where Sheffer was a part of the varsity 8 boat that picked up a bronze medal.

The mission statement of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Student-Athlete Advisory Committee is "to enhance the student-athlete experience by promoting opportunity, protecting student-athlete welfare, and fostering a positive student-athlete image." Sheffer extends her involvement with UB's athletics as the current and president-elect of UB's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). "As president, I am a liaison between SAAC and the administration, I orchestrate the meetings, keep everything flowing, and help out with different committees," said Sheffer. In addition to being in the process of becoming a club recognized by the Student Association, SAAC members have volunteered at events such as Care Wears Day, National Girls and Women in Sports Day and Kids Voting Day.

After track practice in high school, Sheffer would stick around to watch her brother wrestle. As a freshman at UB, she worked for the wrestling team and began to volunteer the following year, in addition to her responsibilities as a member of the cream team and SAAC. "I love the sport of wrestling," said Sheffer. "I love the intensity of it and the one-on-one competition. The guys are fantastic and Coach Beichner has become a father figure now that I'm away from home."

Currently a junior, Sheffer looks forward to her fourth year as a student-athlete, leader and volunteer.

~Written by Ariella Levine